FOR Djaniele Taylor, attending WNBA games was the perfect way to rediscover a sense of community coming out of the long slog of pandemic-era lockdowns.

The 38-year-old Evanston, Illinois, resident has regularly attended Chicago Sky games for the last three seasons, after she watched the team win its first championship in 2021. As a queer black fan, she felt the games were a supportive and safe sporting environment.

“I was hooked and I loved the atmosphere — it was very queer-friendly, very family-oriented, very diverse,” she said.